Mohammad Latef Bhat
Jammu, 25th Feb., 2018: Speaking in a workshop cum photo exhibition organized by “We The Human” a Charitable Public Trust in main halls of Amar Singh Club, today, Speaker J&K Legislative Assembly said that restoration of lost human values is must for survival of mankind. The present crisis in J&K state is only due to the fact that the human beings have forgotten their originality and the only truth that they are born human first and then given distinctive identity in this world by bringing them up as Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian or in other religions. All human beings, in this world, are creation of one almighty God and have been given enough wisdom by God to fulfill their responsibilities towards fellow human beings and the Mother Nature, apart from living a respectable life. But, the human beings have forgotten their duties towards fellow citizens and, even, have badly eroded the nature, disturbing its balance, in guise of unsustainable development and growth during last three decades and the green revolution, which saw excessive use of chemical & synthetic pesticides, insecticides, fungicides & herbicides and badly damaged health of soil.
Kavinder Gupta further said that while giving more focus on infrastructural development, which was required for progress of the nation, the executing agencies forgot their duty towards nature which was eroded badly but not compensated. The vast network of roads up to remote villages, construction of dams, national & express highways were equally important as was important the need for compensating Mother Nature fully for damages caused to it by cutting of forests, hills, trees coming under road, bridges & major building projects and changing river flows. With a result, we often witness earth quakes, floods and soil erosion resulting in landslides in hilly areas as well as climate change. Unscientific disposal of garbage by burning or dumping near populated areas has become major nuisance for our environment, apart from release of green gases from electrical gadgets, smoke pollution and unscientific slaughtering of animals. There is a need for public to get awakened up on these serious issues and “We The Human” is really doing laudable service to launch an awareness campaign in this regard. The Government is committed to promote such organizations as come forward to make people aware about the dangers posed to earth, its environment and to mankind. The Government has already started promoting organic farming and also started making farmers aware about climate changes.
Earlier, speaking about the objectives of the public trust “We The Human”, one of its senior founder members S. Prem Singh, a veteran, said that the public trust has been got constituted only to give a common platform to likeminded people who are aware of upcoming dangers posed to this earth and mankind by the excessive use of chemicals & synthetic pesticides/ fertilizers which, no doubt, resulted in manifold increase in production of grains, fruits & vegetables but have badly damaged soli health and also contaminated our ground water, resulting in upsurge in cases of cancer & other diseases affecting important organs of human bodies. Prem Singh informed that the matter stands already raised with Raj Nath Singh Union Home Minister in a meeting held at his residence on 25thDecember 2017. The meeting was quite successful and the state authorities have already started taking strict measures against spread of cancer and artificial ripening of fruits using the banned calcium carbide or Chinese sachets containing ethylene powder which is also equally dangerous for human health and even carcinogenic. Only use of ethylene gases up to 100 PPM, that too in ripening chambers, is permissible under the Food Safety & Standards Act. Even fruits & vegetables, being imported in this part of J&K, via LoC trade points at Chakkan Da Bagh and Aman Setu are not being checked for any contamination, dangerous chemical or biological residues, which may be done by the Pakistan army or ISI deliberately as part of its warfare tactics. Equally dangerous is the adulteration in milk and milk products, which as per a report is up to 53% in our state comprising of synthetic milk made of detergents, urea, shampoos, araroat or expired milk powder, which arrives in sacks daily from outside the state, without any check. (KNS)